Ladder



June 23, 1931. w. H. KIMBERLIN LADDER Filed May 11, 1929 Patented June23, 1931 Y UNITED srArss PATENT OFFICE .WILLIAM H. KIMBERLIN, orNATCHEZ, MIssIssIrPI, ASSIGNOR or one-Hans TO WILLIAM HENRY IBEATTY, ornArcHnz, MISSISSIPPI LADDER Application filed May 11,

This invention relates to: the classof ladders and pertains particularlyto a ladder having a bracing or non-sliping attachment associatedtherewith.-

I The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvednon-slipping attachment for straight ladders which, when adjusted, willbe secure against accidental displacementand will-act to prevent the"lower my portionof the ladder from slipping when the ladder is leaningagainst a wall or other body.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for securingthe base or lower end of a ladder againstislipping which is adapted tobe quickly andeasily adjusted to coa'ct with the ladder at any angle atwhich the same is positioned with-respect to a. s'up porting structure;

tion will become apparent. as a description of the same proceeds and theinvention will 7 be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in.

thereof. will be in alignment.

connection. with the accompanyingfdrawings 2e forming apart ofthepresent invention with theuinderstandi-ng,however,.that the invention isnot confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawingsbut may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modificationsmark no material departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressedin the appended claims. In the drawings:-- Figure 1 is a viewin side elevationof the as ladder equipped with "the. non-slippingattachment embodying the present invention.

Figurle2is a frontelevational view of a portion of the ladder andattachment showing parts thereof in section.

F gure 3 is a face view .of one; of the apertuired plates forming a partof the structure. Figure 4 is a face view ofa peg carrying plate forminga part of the structure;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view,

through one legv of. the ladder and an adjacent side of thenon-slippingattachment therefor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numera-ls ll-indicatethe side mem- -bers of. a straight ladder provided withthe transverseconnecting. rungs. which, in ,the

1929. 5 Sena-N0. 362,313. 7

present ladder structure, are preferably con- 'nected-to the sidemembers at one side of the longitudinal center thereof, the sideadjacent which the rungs are placed being the front of the ladder.

Each: end of each of the side members 1 is rounded as indicated at 3 sothat at whatever anglethe ladder is arranged against a wall orotherstructure a good bearing surface will .be provided for the groundengaging end.

cured thereto a plate 4 through the central portion of which an aperture5 is formed, the

inner end of the aperture being reamed out, as shown and for thepurposehereinafter described. Y 7 Other objects and advantages of the inven- 4Arranged concentrically about the apertrue 5 'isan annular series ofsmallerindentations 6, preferably 16 in number. These plates 4 arearranged upon the two side members lot the ladder so that the openings 5The plates are held n position by suitable bolts 7 which preferably passthrough the ladder side members.

Connecting the plates 4 is a transverse shaft 8 each end of whichextends through an aperture 5 ofa plate and is formed at each end toprovide-fa head 9 the underfaceof which bears against the reamed outportion of the aperture in which it positions so that the end of theshaft will beheld against longitudinal movement but permitted to r0tate. A substantial portion of each end of the shaft 8is providedwithscrew threads 10 which are sharply pitched. The threads at one end oftheshaft are pitchedoppositely to hand. A suitablc gripping member 11 v issecured to the shaft intermediatethe ends thereof to facilitate thegripping and turning of the shaft. v p a Each end. of the threadedshaft8 extends freely through an upper end of a'prop leg 12 to the outer faceof which is secured, by neansof bolts l3 passing therethrough, a

pin carrying plate 14, the central part of the plate being provided witha threaded passage 15, through which and in which the shaft 8 engages.Arranged concentrically about the threaded aperture of each plate inwhich an end of the shaft 8 engages is a series of laterally projectingpegs 16, preferably four in number. These pegs are arranged upon acircle of the same diameter as that upon which the apertures of theadjacent plate 1 are arranged so that when the legs and plates 14carried thereby are spread laterally of the ladder structure bypropenrotation of the shaft 8, the four pegs 16 of each plate 1 1 willengage in certain of the apertures of the adj acent plate l.

From the description thus far given of the present improved ladderstructure it will be readily seen that by rotating the shaft 8 in onedirection, the propping legs 12 will be drawn together to remove thepins 16 of the plate carried thereby from the indentations of theadjacent plate 4. Due to the sharpness of the pitch of the threads 10the propping legs may be quickly shifted for complete extraction of thepins from their respective apertures by only a slight rotary movement ofthe shaft 8 thus making it possible to disengage the propping legs fromthe ladder side members quickly. When the pins have cleared theirrespective indentations then the propping legs may be swung away fromthe ladder until they are positioned at the proper angle with respectthereto after which a reverse rotation of the shaft will cause the legs12 to be spread or moved outwardly and the pins of the plates carriedthereby made to engage in the apertures of the adjacent plates.

In this manner it will be readily seen that the prop legs 12 will besecurely held against any movement whatever and all danger of accidentalloosening of the connection between the legs and the ladder is avoidedas the connections are protected.

In order to bring the prop legs into the same plane as that occupied bythe ladder legs 1, when the ladder is not in use, the forward faces ofthe prop legs are provided with the recesses 17 which receive the lowerrung of the ladder as will be readily understood. At each side of eachrecess reinforcing bolts 18 may be passed through the legs to preventsplitting thereof. The lower ends of the prop legs 12 may be connectedby a suitable cross bar 19 which will act to maintain these legs in theproper relation one with the other so that the entire ladder structurewill keep rigid and free from any looseness.

In order to facilitate the coupling of thepin carrying plate with theapertured plate the forward ends of the indentations 6 may be slightlyreamed out so that the pins 16 will slip thereinto without difficulty.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that with aladder constructed,

in accordance with the present invention any inclination of the sidelegs may be made with respect to the supporting wall or other bodyagainst which the ladder is placed without danger of the lower ends ofthe legs slipping away from the support, for the propping legs 12 may bearranged to extend inwardly at a proper angle to provide a firm base forthe structure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A ladderstructure of the character described comprising rung connected sidemembers, oscillatable prop legs adjustable relative to said members,means for shifting said prop legs laterally of the side members andrelative to one another, and means for securing the prop legs in oneshifted position.

2. A ladder structure of the character described comprising a pair ofrung connected side members, an oscillatable supporting structuredisposed between the side members and including a pair of legs, meansfor shifting said legs relative to one another, and means for securingsaid oscillatable supporting structure in an adjusted position Withrespect to said members.

3. A ladder structure of the character described comprising rungconnected side members, ashaft connecting said side members adjacent oneend of the ladder and having oppositely pitched screw threads at the twoends thereof, said shaft being rotatably mounted between the members,prop legs carried by said shaft, means for establishing threadedconnection between the legs and the shaft, whereby upon oscillation ofthe shaft said legs will be shifted relative to one another, and meansfor establishing connection between the legs and their adjacent membersi upon shifting of the legs outwardly whereby oscillation of the legswill be prevented.

4:. A ladder structure comprising a pair of side members having rungsconnected therebetween, plate elements carried by the side members uponthe inner face thereof in opposed relation to one another, a shaft heldbetween said side members and rotatably mounted at its ends in saidplates and further having right and left hand screw threads at the endsthereof, prop legs freely traversed by said threaded shaft ends, meansfor establishing threaded connection between said legs and said shaft,and pin and socket coupling means between said prop legs and said plateswhereby the legs may be secured in an adjusted position.

5. A ladder structure of the character described comprising side membershaving connecting rungs therebetween, plate members arranged in opposedrelation and carried by said side members and each having an annularseries of indentations in the exposed face thereof, a shaft rotatablymounted between said plates concentric with the annular series ofindentations therein, said shaft having oppositely pitched screw threadsat the ends thereof, means for engaging and rotating the shaft, proplegs swingably carried upon the shaft, one at each end thereof, a platemember carried by each leg and having a threaded aperture therethroughfor the reception of a threaded portion of the shaft and a series of pinmembers projecting from the outer face of each of said last mentionedplate members designed to engage in the indentations in the adjacentmember carried plate when the legs are spread apart.

6. In a ladder comprising a pair of side members and rungs connectingthe same, a pair of auxiliary prop legs, and means for relativelyadjusting adjacent ends of the prop legs between the side members of theladder at a point adjacent an end thereof and for securing the legs inthe said adjusted posi-' tion after effecting the said relativemovement, said last means further acting to sup-v port the prop legs inposition. a 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

WILLIAM H. KIMBERLIN.

